hnkhattak

Social enterprise scene in Pakistan

Posted on June 26, 2018 by hnkhattak

During my service at Halcyon in Washington DC, I realized that despite the fact where I have witnessed Pakistanis to be intelligent, smart and over the edge in their studies and work, there is not much representation of us around this part of the world. I mean we are definitely known for terrorism and harsh cultures but not when it comes to businesses, opportunities, education and making a positive impact around the globe. I don’t say there have not been things Pakistanis have done but I do want to emphasize that it is not enough. We need to change and reinvent our image for the world. Because otherwise, we would all be left behind, very very behind.

Since I work at the Incubator, I came across amazing entrepreneurs, ideas, ventures, social enterprises and different ecosystems and it drove me to do a little digging about a Social Enterprise Ecosystem in Pakistan and how it looks from here.

Pakistan is a South Asian country with a lower to middle-income index. We are almost 200 million with a new culture of social enterprises and startups, ready to flourish and yet there is, at present, no legislation or bill that supports social enterprises in Pakistan. There are steps being taken by the Planning Commission but all in too early stages and still not able to create any policies or procedures to support SE.

The amazing part is that the SE culture in Pakistan is mostly being led by the younger population and I am surprised how some of the more seasoned Pakistanis never gave it a thought?! But the picture is not all that bleak, there has been a huge increase in the SEs over the last 5 years and the main reason may be that it is only now that people are realizing the existence and importance of a social enterprise. And how a lot of social issues can be addressed along with being able to generate a decent revenue while making a social impact.

There is no particular ‘social enterprise’ legal registration form for social enterprises to register themselves in Pakistan. You could sign up to be either for-profit or non-profit and take various forms. Financial support and sustainability are THE biggest challenges being faced by social enterprises in Pakistan, in securing grant funding and capital be it as a debt or equity, these are the most highlighted obstacles. There is a noted lack of demand for products and services, recruitment and access to public services (electricity, water, etc.) which, surprisingly, seem of less concern, unlike for mainstream businesses where poor public services are seen as a major barrier.

However, the Social Enterprise sector is set to expand and deliver an increasing economic impact. Over 50% of social enterprises are seeking to develop new products and services, indicating that there is also a considerable stimulus for innovation. There appears to be a significant trend in terms of the role of women in social enterprise in Pakistan. Social enterprises are far more likely to be run by women than mainstream businesses and have four times as much female staff as their mainstream counterparts. 97dbda9baef726a220d0d4a098c5a2b6

I have way too much to talk about this and I can go on for days, but it’s time to go home and get some other things done so I will get back to posting a sequel to this post very soon.

XOXO.

Homesick at DC

Posted on May 18, 2018 by hnkhattak

yayyy

Yeah baby there’s me now how wicked is that?! So as the tradition goes, here’s my 5 fun facts:

Hi, my name is Huma Imdad and I am an #AtlasCorpsFellow from Pakistan. I would be serving Halcyon in DC. I am passionate about quality education for all and my fun fact is that I read a lot however for every one book I read, I go back and read Harry Potter. I have read the series for over 200 times.

Okay we arrived on the 12th and it was such a long and silly flight but still my first ever international one so it is understandable. And thennnnn we received like the coolest welcome ever because there was like a board game going on amongst the fellows so yeah it was awesome. The word ‘awesome’ seems to be like an AtlasCorps thing so don’t pay attention if I am saying it a lot.

Into the first week of orientation and by Friday which is tonight, I am already homesick and I don’t know why. Probably because I am away and the rest of the fellows (well mostly) are near almost same housing so I kind of feel left out.

So far everything looks good except for the fact that people here walk a lot and when I say A LOT I mean like a lot LOL. And I am fat and chubby and lazy and it gets too much for me at times but then I am counting on it for my 101 by the end of my fellowship. Who knows, I end up losing all this baby fat I have accumulated over these past 6 years *fingers crossed yayyy!*

Twenty Eighteen Everyone!

Posted on January 1, 2018 by hnkhattak

This is the first day of the next 365 and let’s just pray that this year brings a lot more of happiness and success and miracles than the ones in the past and opens new doors to even better ones to come. Amen to that!

Posted on October 30, 2017 by hnkhattak

That’s the final resting place for my Ami and Abu.. May Allah SWT bless them with the highest palace in Janat ul Firdous. Ameen sum Ameen…

Shiddad.. intensity. . Love♡

Posted on October 14, 2017 by hnkhattak

Watching The Gentleman

Posted on October 14, 2017 by hnkhattak

A movie with Siddharth Malhotra and Jacqueline Fernandes. I turned on my laptop so I could apply for some scholarship or something useful but the Internet seems to have something personal against me so I shut it back down and turned on the tv. This seens to be a new movie but I don’t know why they are showing all the new movies on tv. This would have a terrible effect on the industry. People would not bother to go to cinemas or buy tickets. And this industry would suffer, not that I would care much but still. Since I have nothing better to write about for now..

Oh! They are showing Hum tv awards as well and I don’t know who we are trying to copy. Our clothes and accents and attitudes are all India inspired. It’s nothing bad but I think we should be original. Originality always pays off in the end and there’s nothing like it but our television has truly lost it

Okay for now, I would like to devote all my attention to the television and enjoy myself.

Will get back to soon Wordie,

♡♡♡♡♡♡

Acceptance.

Posted on October 13, 2017 by hnkhattak

Randomising once again..

Posted on October 13, 2017 by hnkhattak

Its October Friday the 13th 2017. Another year gone by and things still haven’t changed much. Everyone I once knew has moved forward to mostly good things and me.. I have well lost much and gained barely. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful but this is how it looks like. I guess I have walked backward on progress.

Lets see what this life has in store for us in the years to come. I pray Allah keeps me from any more losses and that me and N finally see our dreams come true.

I tried the UN and gave up entirely because somehow I jist don’t seem to be the person they are looking for which has been a very bitter realization.

I loved babies but somehow Allah seems to be holding them away for now. I crave for a child to hold as my own, to put to sleep on me and to hold out to when N looks our way. I wish this dream comes true too.

I suddenly don’t feel like writing anymore. I will be a regular soon I promise Wordie.
♡♡♡♡

Zindagi teray taqub mae log, Itna chaltay hen k mar jatay hen…

Posted on July 17, 2017 by hnkhattak

Hey, wordie!

I don’t know if this time I will write something longer or so to say something that would or should matter or if suddenly I would hit the bottom and run away again.

Right now I am in Peshawar, waiting for some tests and some results, Let’s see where does life lead me this time. Somehow, I think I have grown up suddenly because somehow somehow somehow, everything seems to be OK for me, if a thing doesn’t turn out the way I am expecting it to, I don’t throw a tantrum anymore, I don’t cry and I surely don’t complain even if I cry to myself. In the end, I am always OK. I wonder if it’s Allah Pak, alleviating me to something much higher, much grateful to him or is it my depression-devil in disguise making me let go of all things all at once.

There was a time when I would do anything for things, for people, do things legal or illegal, lie cheat and deceive without the slightest trace of any guilt. Now I fear Allah, now I want to do it all the right way just so that when I confront Him, I don’t fear Him but smile for Him. I have suddenly realized the One True Love of my existence. It is Allah 🙂

When I had it all, I was the silliest brat alive, I have done things which, if I know this life as I know now, I would never have even considered. Back then, I never realized my life could change, my parents could not live forever or there would be a time when I would need to make a compromise. Back then, I was the center of the earth. I still have no regrets, except one. I wish I could go back and live it all again on my mother’s rules. I would still be married to N because that was decided even before I was born so I would end up with him anyway but may be I could go back and tell Ami and Abu that I loved them. I never told them, even once, 1-because I was too busy in wasting it all and 2- because I could never express to those who loved me.

This is not a regret post nor a ride to the past but just something that I wanted to write about.

muntazir hei eik tofaan-e-bala mere liay

ab bi jane kitne dervazay heiN waa mere liay

per museebat hei mera ahd-e-wafa mere liay